I am very pleased to announce the appointment of Michael Reddy, DMD, DMSc, as our new dean for the UCSF School of Dentistry, effective June 1, 2018.

Dr. Reddy joins UCSF from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) School of Dentistry, where he has been on the faculty since 1989. Currently the eighth dean of Alabama’s only dental school, he served as interim dean from June 2011 and dean since March 2012. He was chair of the Department of Periodontology from 2004 to 2011, former assistant dean for Planning and Clinical Activity, and senior scientist in multiple UAB research centers, including the centers for Metabolic Bone Disease and for Aging.

An internationally recognized master clinician in periodontal therapy and dental implants, Dr. Reddy’s research focuses on interrelationships between oral infections and overall health, and regenerative medicine approaches in the oral cavity.

His vision is to build on the UCSF School of Dentistry’s reputation as the preeminent research and clinical dental school in the country, expanding its research program, developing more diverse revenue sources, increasing philanthropic efforts, enhancing curriculum innovation, and orchestrating integrated, collaborative practice opportunities. Dr. Reddy brings a lifelong commitment to equity and inclusion. Based on his highly successful efforts at UAB, he is intent on strengthening UCSF’s culture of diversity to embrace the contributions of each individual and looks forward to fostering a collaborative environment in which faculty, staff, students, and trainees can succeed.

We are honored to share an important announcement for UCSF: The Helen Diller Foundation has made a $500 million commitment to UCSF to build a new, world-class hospital on our Parnassus Heights campus.

This extraordinary commitment will enable us to begin the extensive planning process for a state-of-the-art, 21st-century hospital that is designed and equipped to provide an unsurpassed level of care for our patients. The Diller family’s generosity also is a testament to the excellence of the clinicians and staff who have made UCSF Medical Center the highest ranked hospital in California and the fifth-best in the country, according to US News & World Report. The new hospital will enable us to relocate inpatient care, currently at Moffitt Hospital, by 2030 and meet the state’s seismic requirements.

UCSF Helen Diller Medical Center will be part of a planned broader revitalization of our flagship Parnassus Heights campus that also will modernize facilities supporting our research and education priorities. As we embark on this once-in-a-generation planning process for the Parnassus campus, we will draw upon input from you — our faculty, staff, students — as well as other stakeholders in our community.